SAN JOSE — Police have arrested a suspect linked to an attack where two officers were shot at in a Sunday encounter in East San Jose, amid a year that has seen escalating violence against police officers across the country.

Details about the arrest, including the suspect’s name and his exact role in the attack, were not immediately released by police. The officers targeted in the Sunday shooting were not hit.

Two officers were on foot patrol around 7:30 p.m. Sunday near Luby and Ripley drives, west of Independence High School, when they tried to contact a group of men.

The group scattered and ran off, but one of them turned around and fired multiple gunshots at the officers, who were not injured. An area search immediately after the attack did not locate any suspects.

Police said the neighborhood where the officers were attacked has a history of gang issues, and a source told this newspaper that the officers were conducting gang enforcement when the shooting occurred.

Sunday’s attack occurred amid a rise in violence against police officers nationally. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, 56 U.S. police officers have been shot to death in the line of duty so far in 2016, which marks a 65 percent increase over last year.

Robert Salonga covers crime and public safety for the Bay Area News Group and is based at The Mercury News. A San Jose native, he has a bachelor's degree from UCLA and a Master's degree in journalism from the University of Maryland-College Park, but remains a Bruin at heart. His prior reporting stops include Washington, D.C. and Salinas. He is also a middling triathlete whose sole race goal is to be upright at the end. Contact Robert at 408-920-5002.

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